Commentary

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Wilson Snyder 2020-04-05 16:09:18 -04:00
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|===
^.^| *Welcome to Verilator, the fastest free Verilog HDL simulator.*
^.^| *Welcome to Verilator, the fastest Verilog HDL simulator.*
+++ <br/> +++ &bullet; Accepts synthesizable Verilog or SystemVerilog
+++ <br/> +++ &bullet; Performs lint code-quality checks
+++ <br/> +++ &bullet; Compiles into multithreaded {cpp}, or SystemC
@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ endif::[]
== What Verilator Does
Verilator is invoked with parameters similar to GCC or Synopsys's VCS. It
"Verilates" the specified synthesizable Verilog or SystemVerilog code by
"Verilates" the specified Verilog or SystemVerilog code by
reading it, performing lint checks, and optionally inserting assertion
checks and coverage-analysis points. It outputs single- or multi-threaded
.cpp and .h files, the "Verilated" code.
@ -72,30 +72,30 @@ Verilator may not be the best choice if you are expecting a full featured
replacement for NC-Verilog, VCS or another commercial Verilog simulator, or
if you are looking for a behavioral Verilog simulator e.g. for a quick
class project (we recommend http://iverilog.icarus.com[Icarus Verilog] for
this.) However, if you are looking for a path to migrate synthesizable
Verilog to {cpp} or SystemC, and your team is comfortable writing just a
this.) However, if you are looking for a path to migrate SystemVerilog to
{cpp} or SystemC, and your team is comfortable writing just a
touch of {cpp} code, Verilator is the tool for you.
== Performance
Verilator does not simply convert Verilog HDL to {cpp} or SystemC. Rather
than only translate, Verilator compiles your code into a much faster
optimized and optionally thread-partitioned model, which is in turn wrapped
inside a {cpp}/SystemC/{cpp}-under-Python module. The results are a compiled Verilog
model that executes even on a single-thread over 10x faster than standalone
SystemC, and on a single thread is about 100 times faster than interpreted
Verilog simulators such as http://iverilog.icarus.com[Icarus
Verilator does not simply convert Verilog HDL to {cpp} or SystemC. Rather,
Verilator compiles your code into a much faster optimized and optionally
thread-partitioned model, which is in turn wrapped inside a
{cpp}/SystemC/{cpp}-under-Python module. The results are a compiled
Verilog model that executes even on a single-thread over 10x faster than
standalone SystemC, and on a single thread is about 100 times faster than
interpreted Verilog simulators such as http://iverilog.icarus.com[Icarus
Verilog]. Another 2-10x speedup might be gained from multithreading
(yielding 200-1000x total over interpreted simulators).
Verilator has typically similar or better performance versus the commercial
Verilog simulators (Carbon Design Systems Carbonator, Modelsim, Cadence
Incisive/NC-Verilog, Synopsys VCS, VTOC, and Pragmatic CVer/CVC). But,
Verilator is free, so you can spend on computes rather than licenses. Thus
Verilator gives you more cycles/dollar than anything else available.
Verilator is open-sourced, so you can spend on computes rather than
licenses. Thus Verilator gives you the best cycles/dollar.
For more information on how Verilator stacks up to some of the other
commercial and free Verilog simulators, see the
closed-sourced and open-sourced Verilog simulators, see the
https://www.veripool.org/verilog_sim_benchmarks.html[Verilog Simulator
Benchmarks]. (If you benchmark Verilator, please see the notes in the
https://verilator.org/verilator_doc.pdf[Verilator manual (PDF)], and also